Irwin could see the progress of their work, but they still had a lot to do. Adding on to this, the weather was not always on their better side, and it started to get very hot, making it difficult to work long hours under the scorching sun. Irvin’s friends decided to cover the area with a tent so they could at least have some shade and be able to continue with their work. No one knew how long this project was going to take.
Irwin’s backyard started to look like the site of an archaeological dig. There were steel tubes, wooden planks, chainsaws, hoses, buckets, paint, and any other building material you could imagine! At least everything was safe from the severe weather conditions under a new tent. It managed to successfully keep the rain and harsh sun rays out of the work area.
This Only Happens Once
The process took time, but the men knew they were about to make a crazy discovery. After all, how many times do you get to uncover an old bomb shelter in your backyard?! This was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It bacame the story of the day and the entier neighbouthood was glud to the new news.
They had to make sure the entrance was safe so they could explore thoroughly without any problem. Having one unsolved discovery underneath them was its own challenge, so the last thing they needed was to create another mystery with the disappearance of men in Irwin's backyard.
Wasting Time
After they finished securing the entrance, they added concrete to the outside of the shelter. Adding the concrete was critical, though it was very time-consuming and extremely hard work, but what other option did they have? There were building materials everywhere, the heat was tiring, and the discovery had all of a sudden become a big building project. They knew this finding was going to change their lives forever. There was no going back.
Irwin and his friends placed a Sonotube cardboard shape inside the entrance of the shelter in order to protect the inner part from damage. A Sonotube is a concrete or cardboard form that is used to create round columns for buildings, entryways, light posts, and many other types of structures. Then, their next step was to add a conduit for electricity. The truth is, none of them had any idea how long they were going to be down there. They knew they were about to confront something big and exciting, however, they had to prepare themselves for the worst.
Oxygen
The next step was to add an air vent pipe so that they would be able to breathe underground. Just like someone before them installed an electrical fan in order to guarantee proper air circulation, they had to make sure they did the same through the new pipe.
They could see how much progress they’d made, but there was still a lot of work to do, and they weren’t going to stop until it was all nicely done! Irwin didn't share this with his friends, but he was getting anxious to bring this project to an end. Little did he know, things were not going to turn out as he initially expected.
Hard Day's Night
Their next step was to fill in the gaps with concrete in order to make the structure sturdier. They wanted to make sure they took care of every last detail, and so did their work very thoroughly. There was no room for short cuts and there was no room for messing about. It had to be done to perfection.
They decided to put concrete in the upper forms too. They wanted everything to be as secure as possible. We’ve all seen what happens when unstable structures remain untouched for many years. Accidents are bound to occur and these guys weren’t about to let that happen.